Chapter 291: Transaction With The Divine Court, Xiyue’s Negotiation, “you’re Using Force!”

In mid-March, Lord Chen Mo, accompanied by Princess Liushuang, welcomed the visiting delegation of the Mist Moon Divine Court led by Crowned Bishop Nashir to Hanhai Territory.

The two sides conducted cordial and friendly talks, and held in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and regional issues of common concern.

Bishop Nashir reviewed the history of friendly exchanges between Rainbow Holy City and Hanhai Territory in recent years, highly praised the outstanding construction achievements of Hanhai Territory, and expressed great appreciation for Hanhai Territory’s actions in resisting unlawful aggression and safeguarding territorial security.

The bishop repeatedly emphasized that Rainbow Holy City cherishes its traditional friendship with Hanhai Territory and hopes to further deepen cooperation on the current basis.

Lord Chen Mo pointed out that through the joint efforts and active promotion of both sides, Hanhai Territory and the Mist Moon Divine Court have long maintained an active, friendly, multi-level, and broad-ranging cooperative relationship.

This mutually beneficial, win-win and healthy cooperative relationship not only conforms to the fundamental interests of both regions and their peoples, but is also conducive to peace, stabilization, and development in the entire northern region.

Looking to the future, both sides will continue to uphold the principles of mutual respect and equality and mutual benefit, and promote bilateral relations to a new level.

Hanhai Political Council Speaker Helan, Colonel Lin Zhong of the Military Affairs Office, Bishop Farrell of Rainbow Holy City, and Priest Avery, resident presider in Hanhai, as well as other key members from both sides, participated in this meeting.

The above report is from this issue of the 《Hanhai Weekly》.

Of course, setting aside the aforementioned formal phrases, what was discussed in the small-scale meeting after the main conference was the truly further-reaching content.

Bishop Nashir of Rainbow Holy City directly stated that they hoped to introduce some of Hanhai’s weapons, especially taking Fanxing 59 Kai as a reference.

Chen Mo did not hesitate in the slightest and nodded his approval.

“However, as you know, my Hanhai Territory has a sparse population and a severe shortage of professionals. The reason we have been able to struggle through and win when facing invasions by the Orc Tribe and certain evil countries is mainly by relying on these ‘divine weapons’!”

“Bishop Farrell and I have an excellent relationship. Rainbow Holy City has long extended various forms of care. I have no objection to providing several weapons for Your Excellency’s study, but there is one thing that must be made clear in advance.”

“If, if these weapons, or rather the research results related to these weapons, fall into the hands of other factions and in the end become weapons my enemies use against me, how should this matter be accounted for?”

“Will the Mist Moon Divine Court bear the corresponding responsibility for this?”

Bishop Nashir fell silent.

He did not want to bear this responsibility.

Rainbow Holy City had conducted an in-depth analysis of this lord and had reached a very strange conclusion: this Hanhai Lord is both stingy and generous; though he seems to haggle over every cent, as long as you are not trying to take advantage of him, you will not suffer a loss when dealing with him.

Yes, that is exactly how interesting it is.

Of course, this rule applies only to the lord himself and does not extend to other officials of Hanhai Territory; those officials are absolutely merciless when it comes to overcharging others.

Now, when Chen Mo raised this question concerning the security of Hanhai Territory, Bishop Nashir suddenly did not dare to respond.

If Hanhai Territory truly provided the weapons and they were transported back to Rainbow Holy City, they would definitely be disassembled, studied, and replicated by the artisans and technicians of the Holy City.

In the past, the generators, small appliances, Seven Luminaries Wreaths, and other items provided by Hanhai Territory to Rainbow Holy City had all undergone various degrees of disassembly, and they did manage to produce their own samples. However, the reason these did not see broader application was that for the functions these items provided, the Starlight World already had substitutes with better effects and lower cost.

For example, street lamps could be replaced simply by long-lasting fluorite; or refrigerators, for which the Divine Court had abundant means of producing cold.

From the perspective of the Grand Master Craftsmen, consuming spiritual energy and consuming electric energy was essentially the same thing. A quick cost-effectiveness calculation made it clear that compared to this unfamiliar electric energy, the familiar spiritual energy was still more convenient to use.

But weapons were different.

Judging from current combat performance, in the short term there were no suitable substitutes for these Hanhai weapons.

That gave them research value and made attempts at replication worthwhile.

The Mist Moon Divine Court had a saying: “The gods are omnipotent!”

At the bishop level, there was also the unspoken second half: “If they are not, it is only because there is not enough Divine Grace!”

In fact, if this thing called Divine Grace were truly “omnipotent,” it would, by definition, never be sufficient.

To save on Divine Grace, the most appropriate approach was to buy some real weapons from Hanhai, have their own artisans carry out the majority of disassembly and research, and only when encountering parts that genuinely could not be deciphered would they turn to Divine Grace.

However, could Rainbow Holy City guarantee that its research would not leak out at all? Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

Do not forget that their opponents were also qualified to request Divine Grace.

Once Azure Sky Holy City learned of this, then for the sake of striking a blow at Rainbow Holy City, what would it matter to spend more Divine Grace?

Today he might dare pat his chest here and offer Lord Hanhai a guarantee, only for their opponents to use Divine Grace tomorrow to forcibly crack and replicate a set of Hanhai weapons.

Any condition he agreed to now would only create obstacles for himself.

Having figured this out, Bishop Nashir’s brows knotted tightly; his long eyebrows were practically twisted together.

Chen Mo promptly offered a word of reassurance: “If this is difficult, let us set it aside for now. We can discuss it more carefully and proceed step by step.”

Bishop Nashir nodded; that was all he could do.

Changing the subject, the long-browed bishop brought up another matter.

“Then, Lord Chen Mo, we are interested in learning some undead creature detection magic from your territory. Would that be convenient?”

Chen Mo’s eyes widened slightly.

Could this magic also be sold? Was this not very simple, entry-level magic? Not long ago, someone in Xia Country even had it attached as an enchantment.

Of course, when he is unsure, the lord has a very good habit.

“Given our relationship with Rainbow Holy City, in principle, a single spell ought to be given as a gift.”

“But I do not know this spell myself. Only some mages from ‘Return to Cemetery’ have mastered this skill. I need to discuss it with them and get back to you with a definitive reply a bit later. Would that be acceptable?”

“Very well, then I must trouble Lord Chen Mo.”

As soon as the delegation from the Divine Court had left, Chen Mo immediately convened a meeting of the expert group. After a brief discussion, they quickly uncovered the truth of the matter.

In this recent great war, the undead creatures of Hanhai Territory’s “Return to Cemetery” had likewise shone brilliantly, especially in several spectacular ambush battles, rendering great service to Hanhai’s final victory.

Clearly, the Divine Court had keenly realized that undead creatures occupy an extremely important ecological niche in Hanhai’s tactical system, and that this tactic was very likely to be referenced and promoted on a larger scale in the future.

The awkward point, however, was that necromancers had been in decline for far too long, to the extent that they had existed mostly as auxiliary mercenaries, with no regular army combat records for centuries.

As a result, even the Holy Kingdom of the Divine Court had completely forgotten the methods of detecting undead. Magic related to undead currently had only faint inheritance in the Exile Land and in Hanhai’s “Return to Cemetery.”

To put it plainly, spells like “Undead Detection” or “Undead Creature Warning” were like running into “pager malfunction repair” or “cassette game production” issues in the present social stage: obscure technologies that had fallen out of use so thoroughly that even the information could no longer be found.

Were they difficult? Perhaps not inherently. But once you actually tried, you discovered you truly had no idea where to start. Reconstructing them would require a considerable amount of time.

Because of this, Farrell proposed that, since they already had cooperation with Hanhai Territory, it would be better to pay a price and buy it directly. Nashir agreed wholeheartedly.

After understanding the background, Chen Mo thought briefly and decisively agreed to the Divine Court’s request.

Undead detection really did not count as any sort of threshold-level technology. It was merely an opportunity to sell goodwill, and Chen Mo did not even charge a fee. During the communication process, however, he casually brought up the matter of the Stone of Revelation.

When raising this topic, Chen Mo specially had people bring up the pair of Stones of Revelation previously “confiscated” from the marquis.

On a tray lined with blue velvet, the crimson color was startling to the eye. Chen Mo smiled.

Nashir and Farrell both read the subtext of this young lord.

My enemies have such things, while I have none. It seems the Divine Court is not as friendly toward me as it claims.

The two bishops exchanged glances several times. In the end, it was Farrell Scepter who stepped forward with a wry smile to offer an explanation.

“Honorable Lord Chen Mo, I must trouble you to have unrelated persons temporarily withdraw so I can explain this to you in detail.”

“This ‘Stone of Revelation’ comes with too great a price for ordinary people.”

Obviously, in order to avoid leaving any knot in the lord’s mind, Farrell had no choice but to meticulously reveal some “esoteric knowledge” that normally circulated only within the Divine Court.

“The Seven-Eyed God governs past and future, all heavens and worlds, and values above all fairness.”

“If one wishes to obtain Divine Grace and invoke Divine Grace, one must make contributions to the gods.”

Farrell pointed at the pair of Stones of Revelation before them, his voice tinged with a sigh.

“We who serve the gods long-term as divine officials each have our own Divine Grace quota, which we can use to call down Divine Grace when necessary. But for those who have made no contribution at all to the gods, if they wish to use Divine Grace, the price becomes immense.”

“Divination of the future is one of the most powerful forms of Divine Grace. The cost is inevitably great. I trust you can understand, my lord.”

Chen Mo nodded. Indeed, divining the future is somewhat sinister; according to the traditions of Dong Xia, to leak the secrets of heaven is to invite heavenly punishment.

Farrell continued, “When we of the temple use it, the cost is our own Divine Grace. Marquis Monroe, though invested as a divine official by the temple, presumably did not truly believe in the Seven-Eyed God, nor did he make offerings to the gods. So what Divine Grace could he possibly possess?”

“This ‘Stone of Revelation’ also has another name: ‘Fate Slate.’”

“In the absence of Divine Grace, what it consumes is the user’s life, or fortune.”

With that explanation, Chen Mo immediately understood. By analogy, the Seven-Eyed God was like some giant gaming company on Blue Star: if you top up with money—that is, offer refined spiritual energy—you gain a certain amount of in-game currency—that is, Divine Grace.

Divine Grace allows you a better gaming experience. But if you have never paid the Seven-Eyed God a cent and still want to freeload powerful game props, then you either shorten your lifespan or suffer misfortune.

As for Marquis Monroe…

Could this old fellow have been killed by this very Stone of Revelation?

“Do your clergy not make this clear when giving such items to others?”

“They generally say something, but the bishop of Azure Sky might not have cared much about Marquis Monroe’s life or death. The explanation would be limited to urging ‘cautious use,’ ‘cherish Divine Grace,’ and phrases such as ‘fate must not be casually peered into; only devout believers can receive the guidance of the gods.’”

Farrell paused, then added a key piece of information: “Moreover, please understand that, under normal circumstances and controlled usage frequency, even if Marquis Monroe used this Fate Slate to its fullest, the deprivation and consumption of his destiny would still be a relatively long process.”

“Perhaps, according to the calculations in Azure Sky Holy City, by the time the entire Emerald Duchy had fallen and the Xiyue Kingdom was struggling to fend for itself, the fierce warriors of the Green Pine Family would already have reached the time they were meant to die.”

“No one expected him to die in a campaign against Hanhai.”

“Perhaps this, too, is part of destiny.”

“…”

All right then. Thanks to the bishop friends of the Divine Court for revealing a secret.

That afternoon, Hanhai Territory and Rainbow Holy City signed a series of framework agreements for future cooperation. The specific cooperative clauses and detailed content would be further refined through detailed communication by the respective working teams of both sides, such as Helan and Avery, under the guiding principles of the agreements.

After finishing talks with the Divine Court, Chen Mo turned to initiate contact with Xiyue.

At times, between individuals and between countries, there are differences in strength and standing, but the greatest difference still lies in attitude.

Rainbow Holy City, with Farrell serving as an on-site war reporter and making use of Divine Grace for real-time communication, had essentially grasped the outcome halfway through the war, so being the first to arrive in Hanhai was only natural.

But for Xiyue, a country separated from the war zone by an entire Gloomy Forest and vast distances, for its mission to arrive in Hanhai as the second delegation, and to bring along almost all the resolutions related to the incidents involving Chen Mo, was something that genuinely impressed him.

Look at that level of execution.

The mission’s nominal chief representative was Liushuang’s sister.

A young woman in her early twenties, at the height of her youth, she had inherited some of the handsome bearing of Count Liuyun, with red lips, white teeth, full and delicate skin, and bright, lively eyes. The two sisters huddled together whispering, occasionally sneaking glances at Chen Mo and letting out soft giggles.

This gave Chen Mo an eerie chill.

What he especially disliked was that Xiyue had not sent Liushuang’s husband along. Had they secretly overheard that conversation where Liushuang had bluffed him?

The chief representative was whispering with the lord of Tianshuang City, while the deputy representative, an old-fashioned noble named Zegen, with white hair and beard yet still vigorous, naturally took up the heavy responsibility of discussing concrete details with Lord Chen Mo of Hanhai Territory.

Chen Mo exhaled softly and tapped his middle finger on the table in front of him.

“I want to emphasize this. From beginning to end, Hanhai Territory and the Hanhai military have never intervened in the war between the elves and Xiyue. Our relationship with Silver Moon… with the Elf Tribe of the Gloomy Forest, has always been normal, based on commercial principles and transaction behavior.”

“If we had truly fully supported the Elf Tribe, the outcome of the war would have been very different from what it is now.”

“I understand, I fully understand!” Zegen’s attitude was extremely humble; he was almost lying on the table as he answered repeatedly.

“It is best if you can understand.”

“After the elves launched their offensive against Xiyue, I repeatedly emphasized to them that they must not slaughter innocents or harm commoners. Based on the feedback I received, they have, for the most part, honored this promise. Let me be clear: if you discover any improper behavior by the elves and can provide conclusive evidence, I will immediately cut off all ties with them.”

“I know, I know.”

With a face full of smiles, the old man said, “The abundance of life enjoyed by the territory citizens of Hanhai is unmatched in the Starlight World. As I traveled, I heard a saying repeated among the mercenary groups.”

He deliberately paused, then said, word by word:

“Better to be a dog of Hanhai than a man of Emerald.”

“Your lordship’s mercy and benevolence are renowned across the world, renowned across the world.”

Chen Mo pressed down the old man’s flattery with a wave of his hand and continued, “However, I do not like your country’s wanton trampling of commoners. That is why there was later the airlift to Qingze City. In that matter, Hanhai indeed took part, but from beginning to end, our intention was to rescue people, and we did not fire a single arrow or shot at the forces of Xiyue. Correct?”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“It is best if you can understand. If you do not, there is nothing I can do.”

“As I have said before, if both sides fight a normal war without ravaging the people, my Hanhai Territory will not favor the elves or belittle humans. But if the nobles of your country refuse to act like decent people, then…”

As Chen Mo paused slightly, Zegen, this representative who in terms of age, title, and status appeared to stand far above Chen Mo, once again bowed deeply and respectfully.

“Your lordship’s admonition will be engraved in our hearts.”

“Before I set out, I visited Mage Morton to ask about your temperament. He told me that at first he did not like you, but the longer he stayed, the more moved he became.”

“He told me repeatedly that you are kind-hearted, intelligent, and diligent. At that time I already believed that you would surely become a renowned figure in the Starlight World.”

“I simply never expected that in just a few years you would be able to influence the destiny of the various nations in the central Starlight region.”

Damn it, another emotional appeal.

Chen Mo recalled that middle-aged instructor who once looked at him with earnest hope, and it was as if he could hear his voice again.

“You should have a far greater future.”

“The sooner, the better. Go.”

All right, Xiyue Federation, you have succeeded.

After a brief silence, the lord finally gave an answer that made everyone present visibly brighten: “Very well. I can attempt to act as a mediator and arrange a meeting with the representatives of the elves. We can sit down face-to-face and see whether, through peaceful consultation, we can find a feasible path to resolving the current conflict.”

The atmosphere within both negotiating teams grew ever more harmonious, filled with cheerful voices.

Liushuang’s sister once again leaned close to the Little Princess’s ear.

“Tsk, tsk. I did not feel it so much before, but seeing him up close now, it seems your judgment is the best. This brother-in-law of mine is not only exceptionally capable, he is also quite handsome.”

A flush instantly spread across Liushuang’s cheeks, climbing all the way to her ears. In a voice barely above a whisper, she muttered, “What nonsense… he is not… not yet…”

“Oh?” Her sister’s bright, mischievous eyes blinked as her smile deepened. “What is it? Even with the charm of our Little Princess, you still cannot win him over? Is he that unromantic? Did you not say you could pin him down with one hand? Why don’t you… take him by force?”

“???” Liushuang jerked her head up, her beautiful eyes round with disbelief as she stared at her sister, whose outrageous words never ceased, her face so red it was about to drip blood.

“Come now, what is there to be shy about? I will teach you…”

On his side, Chen Mo wore a pleasant smile, chatting casually with old Zegen from Xiyue, yet for some reason he could not shake the inexplicable chill running down his back.